Our Day Trip to New Hope
Back in March, Mer and I and my mother-out-law Lois (of A Beaded Affair) spent an early spring afternoon in New Hope. The reason for our trip was the grand opening of Simply SOTA, but we spent the majority of the day checking out all the awesome little shops along Main Street and the side streets.It had been several years since my last visit to New Hope (preliminary meetings at Simply SOTA notwithstanding), and I was amazed to see what was gone (my favorite used books and dingy kitchen supply places) and what remained (the kitchen kitsch store with the awesome teapot collections, and Mystickal Tymes, one of my favorite old haunts. I still have Beltane incense that I bought from them in high school…)
It’s far too long in coming (better late than never, I suppose), but here are some of the amazing and new to me places we visited that day…
I love ice wine, so when I saw the ice wine loose teaf tea at Cupteavity, I had to bring some home for myself. It’s delightfully sweet-tasting, even with no added honey or sugar, and really does taste like ice wine! Just as ice wine’s not an every day beverage, this tea is definitely something for special occasions. It was definitely a good purchase. They have a bevy of amazing flavors in stock, and I’d recommend checking out their online store or their B&M store if you’re in town — they’re at 88 South Main.
This is a perfect example of why I should write these posts the day of the experience and not six week later – I don’t remember the name or exact location of this next shop. So…on the far end of Main Street (on the same side as Cupteavity) next to the hookah dealer is a small shop that sells beads and Native American items. Lois and I picked up quite a few strands of beads that day, including the green stone in my new “Chosen Path” menswear piece pictured here. She had an interesting selection and plenty of stories to tell…do stop in if you get the chance.
I was far too enthralled by the food and the people to take pictures while we were there, but Italian Cucina at 95 South Main is possibly the best off-the-beaten-path restaurant I’ve been to in my life. A side note: I used to be a caterer; my dad’s a chef. I’m super-critical about restaurant food, and usually don’t care a heck of a lot for it. This? Was incredible. Joe Lombardi, the owner, and his sidekick/restuarant manager, whose name I have sadly forgotten, catered to our every whim, telling us outrageous stories and making sure we left well-fed. And oh, gods, the food. I had butternut squash raviloi in a cinnamon-sugar butter sauce that was lunch, dessert, and paradise all in one bowl. I don’t remember what Mer and Lois ate…I was too busy trying to inhale my food. And, of course, now I’m getting hungry. The food was drop-dead amazing, the people are fabulous, and it’s totally off the main path. We’re told it’s a favorite of the locals and I can totally see why…it’s enough to make me want to move to New Hope. They don’t have a presence online, so click the map above for directions on how to get there.
So, fearless readers, what are your favorite New Hope haunts?
Event Recap: Crafts in the Grove
It’s a bit after-the-fact, but one of our first shows this summer was Crafts in the Grove, an event held by the Upper Lehigh Lions Club in Neffs, PA. It was a wonderful event in a fabulous location.
Check-In
When we arrived on site, we joined a queue of vehicles waiting to be checked in and directed to their individual sites. We were given our site number and directed by a series of lovely men with walkie-talkies. It was clear from the smoothness of the process that they’ve been doing this for some time – in fact, this was the 13th annual show.
Location, Location, Location
As evidenced by its name, the entire event is held in a beautiful grove outside Neffs United Church of Christ. There was plenty of shade and just enough sunshine filtering through the trees to make for a gorgeous atmosphere. Our neighbors to the right, whose names I have unfortunately forgotten, were lovely women who had been selling painted wooden holiday items for as long as the show had been running. There were a great variety of crafts and other items for sale, including local honey and produce, felted wool dolls, and of course plenty of jewelry. The jewelers were well-spaced, which was nice to see.
And Oh! the Facilities!
It never would have occurred to me to comment on the bathrooms at an event. In hindsight, however, in comparison to some other events we’ve done, the Upper Lehigh Lions Club wins the Best Potty of the Season award from me. There were more than enough port-o-johns for the crowds; their location was central to traffic but at the same time hidden away in their own mini-grove; and they had a line of pump-and-rinse portable sinks set up outside. Clean and adequate facilities (with real soap and water to boot) – it’s a shame that this is worth mentioning, but it really, really is.
Recommendations
I recommend this event to all crafters, both seasoned and just starting out. It’s an affordable, nicely-trafficked event (1,200 people this year) that is impeccably organized and smoothly run. The only caution I have for new crafters is that this event will spoil you! Not all events are this well-run. We signed up for next year’s show before we left this year’s – I hope to see you there.
More Info
Next year’s show will be held on July 25, 2009. The cost is $35 for a 12×12 space. It is a juried show, so you will need to submit 3 photos of your craft. (Handmade only!) For more information, contact Larry Snyder at 610.767.2410, or email craftsinthegrove at entermail dot net.
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